𝐀𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬

[ Miraak x Reader ]

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ Misplaced In Time ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

His nights were always restless.

He tried to keep his eyelids closed, always, hoping he could eventually go back to sleep but it was futile. Any sound, movement or any disturbance at all just sent him to alert. His heart raced, unable to go and dream again even when he was met with the room, peacefully empty and shrouded in protective shadows. He stared at the ceiling for hours, waiting for next day's sunlight to sleep through the windows, as light at least brought up a sense of safety.

You were beginning to worry.

He had never been a healthy looking person; centuries of silence in the middle of Apocrypha had left him looking always pale and tired despite his lean and strong physique. But his lack of sleep was obviously taking its toll on him, you could see the redness of his eyes, how they moved rapidly and how they'd shed tears every once in a while. You'd watch him stare at the Sea of Ghosts for hours, spaced out, growing more distant than he was the day before.

You loved him, and he knew. He knew how much his state troubled you, how it hurt and concerned and confused you. He tried, so many times.

But there was always something.

Something behind the tall branches of a tree, lurking in those horrible high corners of your home, a voice carried by the waves, from the depths of the ocean, threatening to come and destroy everything he had. And he couldn't shake off the fear that one day Hermamora's wrath would come down for revenge, revenge for daring to leave his precious plane of Oblivion, to leave the Prince of Knowledge without a champion by committing the worst act of treason. Leaving with the one he was supposed to kill. And he looked and pointed and searched every corner with extreme scrutiny, so much that it had become detrimental to him. He knew it was sooner or later that you would ask.

Better later than sooner, he thought.

As every day, he stood in front of the waves, cold and icy crashing at the stone that formed the freezing coasts of Skyrim. You in turn stared at his still form, worrying even more by the second until you couldn't take it anymore.

"Miraak" you called out, stepping towards him with your arms crossed "My love, what's wrong."

He was frightened by the sheer sternness of your voice. He knew how intimidating you could be but you never used it against him, never. He turned towards you, face half hidden by his hood, and saw your gaze, unrelenting but filled with love, and his heart rate went down as he assured himself that it was, indeed, you.

"Oh, Dragonb... [Y/N]." He responded with an incredibly calm voice which you definitely doubted the genuineness of. "Didn't see you there, good morning"

"Don't avoid my questions" you grew more impatient by the second.

"Don't you have Dragonborn things to do?"

"Miraak" you scolded, and it was at that moment that you heard a sigh.

He sat on the ground and kept a straight face, his gaze never leaving the ocean. You stepped towards him and sat by his side, not really caring about how damp the cold soil was.

"It's hard to believe this is real, [Y/N]" he began, his voice aloof, thin, as if he didn't want to vocalize these thoughts for it might make them real. "Every night I expect to wake up to see that damned Oblivion plane around me. Or maybe someone... something coming back to kill us, haunt us. I know I shouldn't worry, but I can't help it"

You stared at him, brows furrowing deeply in concern. His worry was... Reasonable. Perhaps the fact that you had spent all your life in Tamriel, here in the mortal plane had made you take it for granted. You knew the history, the now almost unbreakable veil between Oblivion and Nirn, but... He had been in Apocrypha for thousands upon thousands of years, it was all he knew, and Nirn was nothing but a fading visage now...

In a thin, broken whisper, you said his name and held his hand, and finally he turned his head towards you, his sunken gaze tired, yet longing.

"And I love you too much, [Y/N]. I'd be devastated if you ended up not being real. It's hard to believe you are, you're too good for me" his lips were grazed with a bitter smile.

And that's when you lost it. You threw your arms around him and held him there, as tight as your arms could, before taking his face on your hands and giving him a strong kiss on the lips. He kissed back, like it was the first time, with a passion you never thought could come from him, and his lips were chapped and cold but moved so smoothly, you couldn't have it any other way.

Unfortunately you both had to part, so you could breathe without problem. You held him there, and stared into his mesmerizing, wise and fierce eyes.

"I'm here, Miraak. I'm real. And I love you. Whatever comes to is we'll fight it." You reassured him, nodding slowly as a spark of hope returned to him, "Don't worry. You're perfect, too"

_____

Dragonboi brainrot